Sole-molding machine.



R. A. KELLEY.

SOLE MOLDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-22, 1910.

anama Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

R. A. KELLEY.

I SOLE MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-22,1910.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W a W 1 R. A. KELLEY.

SOLE MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-22, 1910.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

S H E E T 3.

3 SHEETS Jun.

BAWSON A.

FEW as ,1 v imam orl baifillt KELLEY, {3F BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETT$, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED SHGE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPQRATION 015 NEW J EBSEY.

SOLE-MOLDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apia 27 ildilht T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAwsoN A. KELLEY, a subject of the Kingof Great Britain, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Solelilolding Machines; and it do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to sole molding machines in which cooperating male and female molds are utilized to shape the soles before they are incorporated in the boot or shoe.

The object of the invention is to provide novel and improved mechanism for automatically feeding a stack of soles successively into position between the molds whereby the operation of the machine is rendered more rapid, and the molding of the soles more accurate and uniform.

To this end the invention comprises the features and combinations hereinafter described and referred to in the claims, the advantages of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The various features of the invention will be readily understood from an inspection f the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the mechanism shown therein.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of so much of a sole molding machine as is necessary to illustrate the application of the present invention thereto; Fig. 52 is a sectional plan view; Fig. 3 is a similar plan View showing one of the male molds and t is mechanism cooperating therewith upon a a vertical section axis of the mold larger scale; d ig t n r21 gn the lon grtuc n 63 mm. 0 P. int-hand side or i I "Y 1" machine and o mg the position or s a detail view sho sole supporting g1 s when the male is in its lower posi In the drawings i embodied in a which is provide i; one

while nolded c nolds machine 1 r oids so male molds 1 are mounted upon a fixed cross-bar 2, and the male molds 3 are held in fixed position upon vertically reciprocating heads t. The heads 4: are moved alternately toward and from the upper molds by cranks 5 connected with the heads through links 6 and toggles 7 in the usual manner.

Each reciprocating head 4: carries a magazine for supporting a stack of shoe soles, and also carries devices for feeding the soles successively from the magazine into position between the molds and for centering the sole transversely and also bringing its ball-line into register with the ball line of the mold.

As shown, the magazine for the stack of: shoe soles comprises front and rear plates 8 and 9 which are adapted to engage the heel and toe respectively of the soles, and retain them in vertical alinement. The soles are supported above two supporting plates 10 and 11 which are secured upon standards 12 on the head 4t. The front plate 8 which engages the heel of the sole is secured in fixed position, while the rear plate 9 which engag cs the toe of the sole is adiustabiy secured to the supporting plate 11 by a screw 13 so that it may be adjusted in accordance with the size at the soles to be operated upon. The soles are separated successively from the bottom or" the stack held in the magazine formed by the front and rear plates, by a feed slide 14 arranged reciprocate over the supporting plates 16 and This reed slide is provided with a haped shoulder near its front end which bark of the rear plate 5? nest sole rests on the Si guide ribs 17 for engaging and guiding the opposite edges of the sole. During the forward feed of the sole these plates are held in position between the molds, and co6perate with the V-shaped shoulder on the feed slidein centering the sole transversely of the molds. When the mold carrying head 4 rises to bring the sole against the upper mold, these plates are moved outward from position between the molds, so that they will not interfere with the action of the molds upon the sole. The mechanism for thus operating the guiding plates will be ex plained hereafter.

After the sole has been fed forward into position between the molds, and has been centered transversely, it is acted upon by positioning and gripping devices which move it longitudinally to bring the ball line into register with the ball line of the sole,

and hold it in position during the action of the molds. In the construction shown these positioning and holding devices comprise two converging gage plates 18 adapted to engage opposite sides of the heel of the sole, and to center it transversely of the molds, in case it has not been properly centered by the side guides 16 and shoulder 15 on the feed plate. The sole is held in position by a gripper provided with a fixed aw 19 and a co6perating movable jaw 20 arranged to grip the heel of the sole between the gage plates 18. The gage plates and sole holding gripper are mounted upon a head 21 which is in turn mounted upon a sliding bar 22. The bar 22 is mounted in a guideway formed in the head 4 and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mold.

During the upward movement of the mold carrying head 4 the gripper and gage plates are advanced toward the molds, and the gage plates engagethe heel end of the sole and push the sole forward until the ball line registers with the ball line of the molds, and at the same time the gripper is actuated to seize the rear end of the sole, the sole being positioned and gripped before the mold carrying head has completed its forward movement. During the downward movement of the mold carrying head the gripper and gage plates are retracted to withdraw the molded sole from between the molds after the sole has been released by the molds, and the feed plate is advanced to feed a new sole into position between the molds. The slide bar 22 is reciprocated to advance and retract the head 21, carrying the gripper and gage plates through a rack 23 formed on the under side of the bar, and engaged by a gear 24. The gear is secured to one end of a shaft 25 mounted in the head 4, and provided at its other end with a pinion 26 which engages a rack 27. The rack 27 is arranged to slide vertically in guideways formed in the head 4, and is engaged and actuated by a gear segment 28. The gear segment is mounted I upon a stud 29 on the frame of the machine,

and is provided with a lug 30 which has a limited play within a recess formed in the hub 31 of a lever 32 which is also mounted on the stud 29. One end of the lever 32 is connected by a spring 33 with the gear segment, and the other end is connected by a link 34 with the mold carrying head 4. Through these connections the bar 22 will be advanced as the head 4 rises, until the forward movement of the bar is arrested, and then the spring 33 will yield to allow relative movement between the lever 22 and gear segment 28 as the upward movement of the mold carrying head continues, and the final pressure is applied tothe sole. When the mold carrying head moves downward, the spring 33 will take up the lost motion between the gear segment and lever 32 during the first part of the movement, so that there will be no movement imparted through the bar 22 until the lower mold has moved downward far enough to release the molded sole. After this lost motion has been taken up, the continued downward movement of the mold carrying head will cause the bar 22 to be moved to retract the head 21.

The feed slide 14 is connected with the head 21 so that the feed slide is moved toward the molds when the gripper is moved away from the .molds, and is moved back preparatory to feeding the next sole when the gripper is moved toward the molds. In the construction shownthe feed slide is thus moved through a connecting rod 35, the front end of which is pivotally connected to the slide 36 which carries the feed plate, and the other end of which is connected with the head 21. The connection between the link 35 and the head 21 is also utilized to effect the adjustment of the feed slide for different sizes of soles when the head,21 is adjusted. As shown, the head 21 is mountedto slide on the rear end of the bar 22, and is adjusted on the bar by means of a screw threaded rod 37, the rear end of which is threaded through the head 21, and the front end of which is provided with a knurled head 38. By turning the screw threaded rod, the head 21 may be adjusted toward or from the end of the molds, so that the different sizes of soles may be properly positioned with the ball line in register with the ball line of the molds by the advance movement of the gripper andv gage plates carried by the head. When the machine is operating on the smaller sizes of soles, the head 21 should be adjusted toward the ends of the molds, and at the same time the feed plates should be adjusted toward the ends of the molds so as to feed forward the shorter soles. The feed slide is thus adjusted when the head 21 is adjusted by means of a shaft 39 mounted on the head 21, and provided at one end with a memes pinion 40 which engages a rack 41 formed on the end of the link 35 which connects the head with the feed slide. The other end of the shaft 39 is provided with a beveled gear 12 which engages a similar gear mounted on the screw rod 37 and connected therewith so that it may slide on the rod while turning with it. Through these connections the head 21 and feed slide are adjusted simultaneously tcward or from the ends of the mold in adjusting the machine for operation upon different sizes of soles.

The movable jaw of the gripper is pivoted on the head 21 at 43,,and is forced toward the jaw 19 by a spring 44. The movable jaw is provided with an upwardly extending arm 45 carrying a roll 46 at its upper end through which the gripper is operated. When the gripper is moved toward the molds, the roll 46 rides under a cam 47,

. so that the jaw 20 is raised and passes above the heel end of the sole as this end of the sole is bent downward by the action of the molds on the sole. Before the gripper carrying head 21 completes its forward movement, the roll 46 rides off the cam 47, so that the jaw 20 is closed to grip the rear end of the sole. The head 21 then moves slightly forward to bring the ball line of the sole into register with the ball line of the molds. As the sole is brought into this position the molds have so far bent the sole that forward movement of the head 21 is arrested, and the head remains stationary during the final molding of the sole by the molds; If found desirable, an adjustable stop may be provided for determining the forward po sition of the head 21.

The cam 4&7 is pivoted at 48, and is held in normal position by a lug 49 so arranged thatthe cam may swing out of the way of the roll 46 when the gripper carrying head is moved away from the molds as the mold carrying head 4 is lowered. The grippers therefore continue to grip the sole during the rearward movement of the gripper carrying head, and act to withdraw the molded sole from between the molds. As the gripper carrying head completes its rearward movement, the roll 4C6 rides under a stationary cam 50, so that the upper jaw of the gripper is raised to release the sole and allow it to drop away from the gripper.

The plates 16 which support and guide the edges of the sole as it is fed into position between the molds are carried by bars 51 and 52 which are mounted to slide transversely of the molds. The bar 52 extends across from one plate to the other, and the 7 two bars are connected to move in unison and in opposite directions by a pinion 53 engaging oppositely facing racks 5t and 55 formed on the bars. The plates are-held normally in position between the molds by a spring 56, one end of which'is connected;

with a pin 57 on the front plate 8 of the magazine, and the other end. of which is connected to a pin 58 on the bar 52. The forward position of the plates is determined by a stop 59 arranged to be engaged by the pin 58. This stop is carried by a block 60 which may be adjusted by an ad-' justing screw 61 to vary the positions of the plates 16 in accordance with the width of the soles being operated upon. The plates are retracted from between the molds during the upward movement of the mold carrying head 4 by means of a stationary cam 62 arranged in the path of a roll 63 which is carried on the upper end of a lever 64: the lower end ofwhich is provided with a segment 65 engaging a rack 66 formed on the bar 52. Through these devices the plates are retracted as the cross-head moves upward, and are moved into position between the mold during the downward movement of the mold carrying head.

While it is preferred to employ substantially the construction and arrangement of.

parts shown and described, it will be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential except so far as it may be set forth in the claims, and may be varied. and modified without departing from the broader scope of the invention.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention, and specifically described a form of mechanism in which it may be embodied, what I claim is 1. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, sole molding molds, a magazine arranged at one end of the molds, and mechanism for feeding the soles lengthwise from the magazine to a position between the molds and for positioning them between the molds, substantially as described.

magazine to a position between the molds, mechanism acting on opposite sides of the medial line of the sole for centering the soles transversely and means for bringing the ball line into register with the ball line of the molds, substantially as described.

a. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, sole molding molds, a magazine for the soles, mechanism for feeding individual soles from the magazine to a position between the -molds, devices engaging the sole on opposite sides of its medial line zine, mechanism for feeding. soles from the anism for for centering the sole transversely and means for shifting it longitudinally to bring the ball line into register with the ball line of the mold, substantially as described.

5. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, sole molding molds, and mechautomatically feeding soles lengthwise from a stack of soles successively to the molds having provision for adjustment to bring the ball lines of soles of different lengths into register with the ball line of the molds, substantially as described.

6. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, sole molding molds, and mechanism for feeding soles from a stack of soles successively between the molds, for holding the sole during the molding, and withdrawing the molded sole, substantially as described.

7. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, cooperating solemolding molds, edge guides between the molds for guiding the sole, devices for engaging the end of the sole on opposite sides of its medial line and cooperatingwith the edge guides to center it transversely, and means for withdrawing the edge guides during the molding of the sole, substantially as described.

8. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, cooperating sole molding molds, edge guides for guiding the sole movable into and out of position between the molds, edge gages for engaging the heel end of the sole on opposite sides of its medial line and centering it, and a gripper for holding,

the sole during the molding of the sole, substantially as described.

9. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, cooperating sole molding molds, edge guides for guiding the sole movable into and out of position between the" molds, edge gages for engaging the heel end of the sole on-opposite sides of its medial line and centering it, and a gripper for withdrawing the molded sole, substantially as described.

10. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, sole molding molds, and mechanism for feeding soles from a stack of soles successively between the molds until the ball line registers with'the ball line of,

the molds, holding the sole during the mold ing. and withdrawing the molded sole from between the molds, substantially as de-- scribed.

11. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, sole molding molds, a magazine at the end of the molds, a feed slide for feeding soles from the magazine to a position between the molds, a positioning combination, sole molding and holding device at'the heel end of the molds, and mechanism for operating the feed slide and said devices, substantially as described.

12. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, sole molding molds, a magazine at the toe end of the molds, a feed slide, a positioning gage at the heel end of the molds, edge guides between the molds, and mechanism for actuating the feed slide, edge guide, and positioning gage, substantially as described.

13. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, sole molding molds, a maga zine, guides for the opposite edges of the soles adjustable for different widths of soles, means for feeding the sole from the magazine to the edge guides, and means for withdrawing the edge guides from between the molds during the molding of the sole and returning them to position between the molds when the molds are separated, sub stantially as described.

14. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, a fixed mold, a reciprocating moldcarrying head, a magazine on the head, and devices on the head for feeding soles successively from the magazine and positioning substantially as described.

15. A sole molding machine, having, in combination, sole molding molds, guides for the opposite edges of the soles arranged between the molds, means for feeding soles on to the guides, and mechanism for withdrawing the guides from between the molds during the action of the molds on the sole,

substantially as described.

combination, sole molding molds, a magazine, a sole locating and gripping device, mechanism for feeding individual soles from the magazine, and mechanism for act uating the locating and gripping device to bring the ball line of the sole into register with the ball line of the molds to hold the sole during the action of the molds and to withdraw the molded sole from between the molds, substantially as described.

17. A sole molding machine, having, in

molds, a magazine arranged at one end of the molds, and mechanism for separating individual soles from the stack in the magazineand for feedingthem endwise to a position between the molds and for positioning them between the molds, substantially as described.

RA'WSON A. KELLE them over the mold on the head, 7 

